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Ambicion (2011)

by Lee Strobel(Favorite Author)

3.65 of 5 Votes: 5

ISBN

0829757406 (ISBN13: 9780829757408)

languge

English

genre

Mystery & Thriller

publisher

Vida Publishers

review 1: If I demand anything from a novel, it is to keep me engrossed in the story and make me care for it and the characters in it. Lee Strobel's The Ambition may not be a mainstream novel, but its intriguing setup and skilled use of mystery make it a darn good Christian novel. The prose is simple and to the point; it manages to avoid over telling, and while it has an unmistakable Christian theme which I agree with, the fact is that Strobel, himself a strong bastion of the faith, wisely decides not to approach the deeper issues with a ham fist or a blunt manner. Instead, Strobel allows the reader to think for himself, which Is in the fine tradition of great storytellers like Edgar Allan Poe, William Dean Howells, and the like (well, Strobel is nowhere near those greats in terms o... moref literary quality, but that's fine with me). Now, the book does feel a bit conflicted at times, especially over who takes the role of main protagonist: Garry Strider or Eric Snow? Even so, the book takes the uneasy route and decides to have them as dual protagonists. Whether or not that was the greatest choice is debatable, but it doesn't fail awfully, since both Strider and Snow themselves are realistically constructed, if not entirely three dimensional, characters that would exist in our very real world. Eric Snow is a near-perfect replication of the celebrity evangelist/political activist, who has in himself the existential internal conflict between staying in ministry work and expanding into political and secular realms, up to the cost of despising his roots. His characterization comes off as a likable and relatable, if flawed, character. Likewise with the hotshot reporter Garry Strider. While not much development is put into him until near the end of the second act, Strider's characterization is effective and down-to-earth. The other characters—Art Bullock, Debra Wyatt, Tom O'Sullivan III, and others, —are well-written and memorable people whom we can understand, the former two with which we can relate to. They are real humans in real conflicts, and Strobel's way of handling them is inspired. Placed in murky situations, their characters are put to the test in a thrilling cycle of intrigue, deception, and drama. As for the villains, we have the mob man Dom Bugatti and the corrupt judge Reese McKelvie. While not much development is placed in these sinister figures, their foreboding and malevolent presences loom throughout the story, casting their malicious imprint. All of this is effectively conveyed through Lee Strobel's matter-of-fact and to-the-point style and his construction of this multilayered yet interconnected narrative that's expertly packed in a readable and solid manner. The events all seem to be separated from one another, but they all neatly come together in this great story, and though I think more could be done with it, what's done is done, and it's exciting nonetheless.The Ambition gets my recommendation; it's a neatly paced and riveting read for anyone who looks a good story.
review 2: Ok, so I like Lee Strobel and thought I'd give this book a whirl. It was good but not great. I finished it just last week and actually do not remember what it was about. I also don't remember what I had for breakfast today, so keep that in mind. Right, the reporter.... I love Joel Rosenberg's books, the levels of detail that draw me into the characters and how connected I feel to the story line. I needed more of that with this book. It seemed too tidy and too shallow. There was nothing to really sink my teeth into. Sure, I'll read his next book when it hits my radar but I won't seek it out. less

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